Doha , Qatar -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN 's Nic Robertson had tough questions for Hamas 's political leader .

Khaleed Meshaal is known as Hamas ' external deal-maker and a fund-raiser from supporters in the region , a role the 58-year-old has held since 2004 .

Robertson interviewed Meshaal over the weekend in Qatar , where he lives . Here are some highlights from the interview .

Firing rockets from neighborhoods

Robertson asked Meshaal why Hamas is firing rockets from civilian neighborhoods . Meshaal answered with numbers .

`` How many Israeli civilians have our rockets killed ? Israel knows the number . Meanwhile , how many Palestinians has Israel killed ? Up until now have been killed 1700 people , while we have killed 63 soldiers . We kill soldiers , while they kill civilians . ''

-LRB- The Palestinian death toll as of Monday was at least 1,856 , according to the Palestinian Health Ministry . Sixty-four Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel had been killed , according to Israeli officials . -RRB-

Robertson then asked Meshaal to respond to critics who say Hamas is using civilian deaths to gain international sympathy .

Meshaal called that a lie and said Hamas is not seeking international sympathy through its own victims .

`` It is unfortunate that the American administration and President Obama have adopted the Israeli narrative , which is a lie . Hamas sacrifices itself for its people and does not use its people as human shields to protect its soldiers . The fighter , just like the soldier in the army , his job is to protect the people , and not to sacrifice the people for himself . ''

Hamas ' cause

Meshaal said Israel has a powerful military but the Palestinians will triumph .

`` We are stronger than they are in the justness of our cause . We are the rightful owners of the land , and they are the thieves of the land . We are the victims and they are the murderers . But despite this , we might not win a battle or two completely , but at the end we will win the war . Our steadfastness is a victory . For us to kill their soldiers while they kill our civilians is also a victory for the Palestinian cause and Hamas . ''

Robertson pressed Meshaal on the point , asking how this can be a victory for Hamas and its cause when so many Palestinians are dying .

`` Our people are convinced today that the only way to get rid of the occupation and establish their state is through resistance . ''

Cease-fire

Robertson wanted to know whether Hamas would ever accept Israel 's right to exist and agree to a cease-fire .

`` We 're ready for a cease-fire . We want the war to end today , and we did not attack anyone . It was -LRB- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin -RRB- Netanyahu who transferred the crisis of what happened in the West Bank to Gaza . He 's the one responsible for this . We 're ready to stop this war . '' -LRB- The killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank triggered the current crisis . -RRB-

Egyptian talks

Hamas has agreed to cease-fires through Egyptian mediators `` many times '' since 2003 , Meshaal said .

`` The Israelis , the Egyptians and the American administration know -LRB- this -RRB- , otherwise John Kerry would not have intervened this time nor -LRB- former Secretary of State -RRB- Mrs. Hillary Clinton in 2012 . They know that Hamas is very credible in that if its leadership promised something , it will fulfill its promise , and the fighters on the ground will follow that . ''

He said he is still willing to engage in talks with Egyptians acting as the go-betweens .

`` Regardless what the others ' positions -LRB- are -RRB- , we stated that we are ready to go as a Palestinian delegation to Cairo in order to talk to the Egyptians so they can hold indirect talks between us and the Israelis , so we can reach an agreement that will address our Palestinian demands , headed by ending the siege of Gaza . Then cease-fire can take place . We announced this position before and we are still committed to it . ''

Peace negotiations

Hamas is not to blame for the lack of a solution , he said .

`` We the Palestinian people have , since 1948 , have listened to the international community and U.N. and international regulations , in the hope they end the aggression against us . But the international community failed in ending the Israeli occupation and failed in helping our people to have self-determination and have its own state . Even the latest -LRB- peace -RRB- negotiations , between -LRB- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud -RRB- Abbas and Netanyahu with Kerry as the broker , were sabotaged by Netanyahu . ''

Calls for cease-fires

Meshaal said he would support a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes . But he would only support a long-term cease-fire if Israel changes its policy restricting the movement of goods and people into Gaza .

`` There are two kinds of cease-fires : There is the humanitarian cease-fire , like 72-hour cease-fire that was meant to help and aid our people getting food , water , and help collecting the bodies . As far as the sustainable cease-fire , this is connected to an agreement accepted by the two parties that will guarantee our Palestinian demands headed by lifting the siege on Gaza . ''

What is Hamas ' endgame in Gaza ?

CNN 's Greg Botelho contributed to this report .

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The leader of Hamas ' political wing faced tough questions from CNN 's Nic Robertson in Qatar

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Khaled Meshaal insists Hamas does not use civilians as human shields

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Hamas will continue resistance , Meshaal says

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A true cease-fire must include the end to a blockade of Gaza , he says